Shagang Steel Project: Large-scale Lubricating Oil Injection and Precision Filtration System
Project Background:
As a major Chinese steel giant, Shagang Group's production lines cover high- speed wire rods, hot- rolled coils, and heavy plates. In these high- intensity operating environments, the lubrication systems of rolling mills, large reducers, and hydraulic stations are the "lifeblood" of the entire production line. Due to the high dust and temperature in steel plants, lubricating oil is highly susceptible to contamination by metal chips, scale, and external dust during injection and circulation. If impurities enter precision bearings, they can cause abnormal wear, temperature spikes, or even catastrophic failure. Consequently, Shagang introduced Unite's high- efficiency lube oil filtration units during its core equipment upgrades.
Core Challenges:
High-Viscosity Filtration: Heavy- duty gear oils used in steel mills often have high viscosity (e.g., VG220/320/460), making it difficult for traditional filters to balance precision and efficiency under high- flow conditions.
Heavy Contamination Load: The environment is filled with magnetic metal debris and fine dust, posing a massive challenge to the dirt- holding capacity of filter elements.
Continuous Production Pressure: Steel lines operate 24/7. The filtration system must feature online changeover and maintenance capabilities, with zero tolerance for downtime caused by filter clogging.
Strict Cleanliness Standards: It must be ensured that system oil cleanliness consistently reaches NAS Class 7 or ISO 16/13 or higher after injection to meet the requirements of long- life bearings.
Our Solution:
Tailored to Shagang Group's heavy- duty conditions, we provided modular duplex and mobile lube oil purification solutions:
Two- Stage Magnetic + Precision Filtration: The system features a powerful magnetic separator at the inlet to capture ferromagnetic wear debris first, relieving pressure on the downstream precision elements. The second stage uses high- strength sintered metal fiber or specialty fiberglass media to ensure micron- level particle interception.
Duplex Changeover Design: Utilizing a twin- vessel parallel structure equipped with high- performance changeover valve sets. This supports element replacement without downtime, ensuring the lubrication circuit remains clear at all times.
High- Flux/Low- Pressure Drop Design: Internal flow paths were optimized for high- viscosity oils, and the filtration area was expanded to effectively lower initial pressure drop and extend element lifespan.
Intelligent Monitoring: Equipped with high- sensitivity differential pressure alarms to monitor element status in real- time. Connected to the workshop's EAM management system via PLC, enabling predictive maintenance of filter elements.
Customer Value & Results:
Since the commissioning of these lube oil filtration systems at Shagang Group, the operational environment for core equipment has improved significantly. Data shows that bearing failure rates have decreased by approximately 30% and unplanned maintenance downtime has been drastically shortened. Furthermore, because oil cleanliness is guaranteed long- term, lube oil change intervals have been extended by over 1.5 times, reducing waste oil disposal costs and environmental pressure. Shagang highly commended Unite's system durability in complex heavy- industrial environments, leading to continuous cooperation across multiple subsequent expansion projects.
